Obviously this is a big topic! I am slowly collecting resources and web sites that I've found useful.
Creative writing/Narrative writing
Story starters - if you want students to write then you might need some story starters. Writers' Notebook also uses story starters.
Scholastic Story Starters - a fun poker machine style random story starter generator! Adjustable by grade from K-6
Persuasive Writing
Although I have been told that 2013 is the last NAPLAN year for persuasive writing for a while, I'm sure I will still be teaching persuasive writing - just not necessarily in term 1!
It can be very helpful to have a bunch of example persuasive texts to draw on. I have found these surprisingly difficult to locate. I didn't want to write them myself, as I'm sure without a lot of time and effort they would be too similar. Here are some that I have found (some of these are referenced in the EQ document: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/naplan_persuasive_sample.pdf)
In 2013 I taught a 3/4 class and I started using the Writers' Notebook approach. A number of teachers at our school have been using it successfully for some time but it was a new idea to me, so this section will record some of the resources and ideas I have found while adopting it.
Corbett Harrison, a teacher in Nevada, USA, has created the "Always Write" website with many ideas and reflections on Writer's Notebook.
There are some good collections on Pinterest although it always bugs me when so many of the resources link across to TpT and want to charge for everything. All credit to them for creating quality resources, but since when do teachers have lots of money?
This blog has lots of ideas for what could go in a 4th grade writer's notebook with pictures to give you examples.
I found it a little difficult to be confident about how to start off with this approach, and I was surprised when I first looked around on the web - there seem to be plenty of examples of writer's notebook prompts and good notebooks, but not as much as I expected on how to launch this program in your classroom. The most relevant resources for launching writer's notebook I have found so far are:
Poems are a fairly diverse format, I've collected some ideas for teaching poetry to primary school students, including resources and lesson ideas, on the Teaching Poetry page.
Cinquain Poems - cinquain poetry is a great chance to refresh knowledge of syllables.
I am not sure yet whether primary children will find this video interesting, or just weird, but if you are looking at short poems, it is weirdly interesting: Vsauce's take on What is the Shortest Poem? on YouTube. It does refer to the Guinness Book of Records, which kids seem to love.
Teaching Similes
Similes are a great introduction to more creative writing and work well for poetry. There are a number of excellent picture books that introduce the idea well. You can read more about them on the Teaching Similes page.
Creative writing/Narrative writing
Story starters - if you want students to write then you might need some story starters. Writers' Notebook also uses story starters.
Persuasive Writing
Although I have been told that 2013 is the last NAPLAN year for persuasive writing for a while, I'm sure I will still be teaching persuasive writing - just not necessarily in term 1!Writer's Notebook
In 2013 I taught a 3/4 class and I started using the Writers' Notebook approach. A number of teachers at our school have been using it successfully for some time but it was a new idea to me, so this section will record some of the resources and ideas I have found while adopting it.I found it a little difficult to be confident about how to start off with this approach, and I was surprised when I first looked around on the web - there seem to be plenty of examples of writer's notebook prompts and good notebooks, but not as much as I expected on how to launch this program in your classroom. The most relevant resources for launching writer's notebook I have found so far are:
Writing Poetry
Poems are a fairly diverse format, I've collected some ideas for teaching poetry to primary school students, including resources and lesson ideas, on the Teaching Poetry page.Cinquain Poems - cinquain poetry is a great chance to refresh knowledge of syllables.
- http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/lessons/how-to-write-a-cinquain-poem/
- http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/composing-cinquain-poems-quick-51.html
I am not sure yet whether primary children will find this video interesting, or just weird, but if you are looking at short poems, it is weirdly interesting: Vsauce's take on What is the Shortest Poem? on YouTube. It does refer to the Guinness Book of Records, which kids seem to love.Teaching Similes
Similes are a great introduction to more creative writing and work well for poetry. There are a number of excellent picture books that introduce the idea well. You can read more about them on the Teaching Similes page.